HOWA rifles

[ryan_5]

Any thoughts guys, wanting to get my first long range rig.

[BILLY D.]

I'll pass on being a smart aleck, I won't say 50 cal browning.

What are you going to shoot with this rig? That will help people determine Caliber, rifle, etc.

Give us a chance here. Long range has a lot of connotations.

Best wishes, Bill

[petey]

up to you ;) Mauser action, Body's stock. buy your own parts and build one to your specs or take a shot on a HOWA. You may or may not get a good barrel. Buy a used Howa for the action/stock and rebarrel it, would probably be the less risky route . Either decision will get you to your desired results I'm sure.

[Skinny Shooter]

Have you looked at Savage?

[jplonghunter]

ryan_5

If you are up to the task,you can build anything you want with the components available to todays shooter. Barreled actions,action only, numerous barrel manufacturers,inletted stocks,and accessories galore. Check mausercentral for pics of what is being built.
jplonghunter

[ryan_5]

I want something with enough punch for big game, but my main concern is accuracy. I would like to have something capable of 1000 yard shots, but I don't want to be fire forming wildcats. So far I'm thinking 30 cal probably 308 or 300 win. Most of this guns time will be spent target shooting, and shooting groundhogs. I really like leupolds and will probably go with a variable 20 or 24X with target knobs. I was looking at howa's varmint rifle, and the AR30 but there is quite a price difference between the two. I like the tacticle look of these two.
I am in the early stages of looking and if you guy's can share some knowlege I would greatly appriciate it.

[royinidaho]

Hmmmmm,

A 308 Win won't cut the mustard @ 1K, on a regular basis for elk and such.

A 300 Win Mag will definitely cut the mustard. The problem with the 300, or at least something I don't like, is the belted case.

Here's what I did to show one end of a reasonable price spectrum.

Dad's old REM 721 action. Trued etc and bolt work, 30" #7 Lilja bbl, with a Defensive Edge brake in a Bell & Carlson carbalite stock. Including dies price was right at 1700 bucks. I added a 350 dollar Super Siniper scope w/ rings and shade. 1/2 inch accuracy was guaranteed at 100 yds. It does better than that.

See the thread below this one. The stock is completely a DIY project with a bit of painting help from a local body shop. The B&C stock is great for a sporter weight barrel but was a bit limber for that long heavy tube.

The next thing I did was take a 338 Win Mag and rebarrel w/a 338 RUM sporter barrel. The original rifle was $495. No action truing or bolt work. Just square the front of the action, add a Tubbs recoil lug and fit the new take off 338 RUM sporter barrel and swap the brake form the Win Mag. About 200 bucks.

What I'm going to do next:

Purchase a savage or stevens at what ever good deal comes along. I'm figuring about 350 max. Barrels can be easily swapped. Some one makes a 300 RUM barrel for them. If you know what you're doing the barrel swapping is a DIY project. (Carefully though:( )

A little do it yourself pillar and skim bedding and some trigger work unless you get the accutrigger and you are most probably well on you way to a 1K rifle.

A 7MM RUM is also a good choice.

If finances are limited in any way, Id do the shaving on the rifle end. The apply the money to a top end tactical scope. You'll be needing some clicks. 10 to 18 max power is plenty of power for the glass for 1K shooting.

I'd take a look at Leopold, IOR, and Nightforce tactical scopes.

For rings I'd go with Burris Signatures with the inserts to get the MOA you need. The correct scope will usually have enough MOA to to the job. The SuperSniper turrets would take my well beyond 1200 yds then even more with the proper inserts in the Signitures.

Jsut my tho'ts.........Also I think that the 338 is better for long range game taking than the 30 cals expecially with the 300 SMK bullet. Its a first class wind fighter. And its even a fun paper puncher with a good brake.

[Skinny Shooter]

I think you're going to need two rifles.
I shoot groundhogs with my Remmy VSF in 308win w/150gr HP wildcat bullets but wouldn't want to do it all the time.
Being a remmy guy, I just bought a Savage VLP in 243Win. Planned use is groundhogs out to 1k.
The 87gr Vmax and 105gr Amax are the bullets I plan to use till I can get my hands on some of the new aluminum-tipped Wildcat bullets.
Or look at the Remmy VSSF in 22-250.

You may already know this, the 308 will shot out to 1K (for groundhogs) but I would cut that back a bit for deer.
You can get a Savage VLP in 300win mag too. The savage website may not show it, but its available.

[Catfish]

I`m like Skinny, I think you need 2 rifles. For long range on big game the .338 is an excellant round. For groundhog it will kill them just as dead, but no deader than a .17 cal. If you don`t want a wildcat a .22-250 or something up to .25 cal. would make a good long range groundhog gun. For long range varments though, a good .22 wildcat like the .22-243 Middlestead, .22-6mm or the .22-284 are hard to beat. I built a .22-6mm and my first groundhog with it was alittle over 430 yrds. I took a coyote at 350. Hit him just behind the rib cage with an 80 gn. Serris Match King and he never moved. Never seen one drop that fast when hit there.
I have a friend that does real well past 500 with a 7 mm mag. But I live in Ohio and don`t like to shoot to heavy of bullets because of ricochets.

[ryan_5]

Well to get started Im gonna tweek one I aready have. I took my 4.5 x 14 Ziess and sent it back to the factory for target knobs. I picked up a new recoil pad for my 300 RUM model 700 SSL. I'm going to have a friend work the trigger for me and if the recoil pad doesn't tame it down a bit I'm going to get a brake put on it. I want something I can shoot 40 times in a t-shirt and still be having fun. It shot decent with factory ammo but I ordered some 168 grain berger VLD's and am going to try a find a good load for it. I also started a new thread asking about AR 30's I looked at one in 338 lapua today, almost walked out with it but wanted to talk to someone who has shot one. Thanks for the reply's guy's I appriciate them.

[petey]

You really wanna spend some money reloading those 338 Lapuas!? ha ha. I don't see the avantage in cost vs. the 338 RUM. Definately a good round with plenty of bullet selection to shoot long and have the punch when she gets there. But if you don't like the recoil of the 300 RUM, you sure won't like the 338. The 338 Rem Mag is comparible in recoil with the 300 RUM in the same gun. I only know b/c I've had both and ended up gettin rid of the 338 for the 7 RUM.

You really don't need that kind of horsepower to kill a deer sized game out past 700 yards, but it never hurts. I've shot deer with both RUM's and rolled them over on their feet. But have seen the same feet performed with a 6.5-284.

I actually was on the 338 Lapua kick about 3 years ago, but just couldn't justify the brass and cost to reload for what horsepower I got out of it. I guess the RUM's came around at the right time. Can't beat the price in reloading for the ft pounds you get.

[ryan_5]

Petey, i checked the ballistics on the 338 rum and would have to agree. There isn't much advantage to the lapua. I really liked the AR 30 but they only guarantee 1 MOA. That isn't too impressive for a 1600 dollar rifle. I posted a thread asking if anyone new anything about them.

[Minihuntur]

I don't have one but my huntin' pal does. A 7mm STW, he says it will push a 140 grain bullet at 3400 FPS with handloads. When sighted in at 100YDS it is 3 inches high at 200 YDS and 2 inches low at 400. He hasn't shot it at 1000 though but that should be flat enough shooting for you. The problem, he says, is kick but if this is a heavy muzzle braked gun this suoldnt be a problem. That being said his gun is 9.5 pounds scoped and has a small port on the barrel and recoil is like an average weight .300 Win Mag. Savage makes a gun in their 16F series chambered for 7mm STW and 7mm RUM. Not too pricy either. Good luck with your shooting. Tell us what gun you get.
Minihuntur

[TheSollyLama]

Being a new owner of a .257 Wby Mag, I'll throw in a vote for that just cause I'm still fondling my Vanguard Deluxe that I just bought.

The Vanguards are essentially Howa's. Same company makes them.
I have a Howa 1500 in .22-250 that I like, so I didn't mind that my 'Weatherby' Vanguard is really a Howa.

I got the most base model 1500 with scope in a package when I was wanting a .22-250 and I sum it up like this- good action and barrel stuck in the cheapest POS stock I've ever seen.
It shoots great, and it's a terror on coyotes, I just hate the stock and will be replacing it with a nicer Vanguard stock since they are interchangable.

Now- if I wasn't specifically wanting a .257 Wby Mag, I probably would have looked at the offerings from Remington, Winchester, Ruger, etc.

Or just buy another Howa in a standard chambering and pay less than I did. But I wanted that Wby cartridge and I sure can't afford a real Mark V.

But Howa is a fine brand, IMO and mine kills coyotes exactly as dead as any other brand gun. Next season I hope to say the same of my Vanguard.....